12.09.2015

RECAP: "Purging and Cleansing," Being Mary Jane S3, E9

Can't believe this is the second to last episode of Being Mary Jane for the season! Picking up from last week, right after Patrick storms out, Paul tells Mary Jane that all of this is necessary, even if they did ambush him. I get why everyone is upset, though. Even though this is a lighter drug, it's still a drug, and for Patrick to relapse into his old ways would be terrible. MJ brings D'Asia to her house that night, and, of course, D'Asia asks about her dad. MJ tells her that Patrick had to work, and D'Asia is happy just spending time over at her aunt's house. D'Asia asks MJ upfront, however, if her dad is back on drugs, but MJ plays it off, saying again that he is just working late.

The next morning, Patrick sits outside of D'Asia's school, waiting to see her. D'Asia's teacher spots him, and they talk a bit, with Patrick explaining that he brought lunch for D'Asia. He gets a little emotional of everything going on, and gives the teacher D'Asia's lunch. When he pulls off, the teacher finds a sweet note to D'Asia from him. However, she senses that something is off when she sees D'Asia come in with Mary Jane and another lunch box in hand.

Later, at work, Mary Jane vents to Kara about Patrick and her parents, and Kara feels like MJ's parents are using her as their guard dog. She tells Mary Jane that this isn't her fight, believing MJ needs to be a little selfish right now and focus on the good in her life. Later, MJ calls Paul explaining that she can't pick D'Asia up (with her work, she wouldn't always be able to anyway). She tries to get Paul to back down on this, Paul refuses to send D'Asia back to Patrick. In fact, when PJ comes back home to try to help with D'Asia, Paul tells his son upfront that there is only one side in all of this--his.

Later, Marisol tries to get a spot on the talkBack team, even as a producer. However, MJ spent all of her budget already, and wouldn't be able to take Marisol on. In fact, Mary Jane's team is small and young. She invites Nina, one of the students who called her out at Clark Atlanta, as a news consultant. Khalil, also a student, is working as an intern at SNC and hops on board, though he is upset to have to be getting Nina coffee as an intern. After being kicked out of the main conference room, and moving to the lunch room to try to meet, the team ends up going to Mary Jane's house to brainstorm. These young aspiring journalists have a heavy debate on government assistance to minorities, and plan to pitch Greg a show on welfare. Cece comes by, asking for Mary Jane to make an appearance to the bookstore to encourage sales and black people to read. Mary Jane hesitantly agrees. Cece looks at the team's work and asks about the format of the show, which she calls predictable. Most of the topics they've chosen have divides from gender and race to even generational. Cece then comes up with great ideas, but all MJ can remember is Cece blackmailing her in a voiceover.

After school, Patrick tries to get D'Asia from Paul but fails. Her teacher comes over concerned, stating that school is not the place to go through all this. Patrick gets emotional and calls out of work. The teacher kindly volunteers to give him a ride home and he admits that he is a drug addict. Recently, he started taking something to keep up with work, and his family called him out on it, and took D'Asia. She tells Patrick that he needs to reflect and have a conversation with himself about what he needs to do to be better going forward. However, Patrick decides to go to the Pattersons and takes D'Asia anyway.

That night Paul and Helen talk privately in their room. Helen wants Patrick to move back in to keep an eye on him, an idea that Paul doesn't like. He gets upset, because he feels like they have blown most of their money on these adults, and haven't spent time making enough memories, just the two of them. However, Helen comforts Paul, telling him that he's always done the right thing. All the while, Niecy and PJ eavesdrop on their conversation. Honestly, Paul and Helen are enablers. They always came in to save their kids instead of giving them tough love.

On Primetime, Mary Jane announces the official relaunch of talkBack. After work, she calls Kara, planning to talk to her parents. Kara states that MJ needs to see who else is capable of showing up in these family situations, because most times, it's Mary Jane. Back at her house, Kara runs into John, who's attempting to write an essay for possible publication. After he tells her that the main breaker in the house tripped again, Kara goes into a rant about her work ethic that she got from her mom. She wants the best, and doesn't understand, as a white man in America, how his ambition could be so low, and how he lets her take care of everything? He could be whatever he wanted, and not struggling to make it as a writer. However, John states that, if he wasn't there, Kara wouldn't be able to work endlessly and come and go as she pleases. Kara wishes him luck with that essay, since they need it to be able to help keep the lights on for their kids.

Later, PJ talks to Niecy about her needing to handle herself and her kids on her own. She has a job, sure, and yes, I applaud her for doing something, but it's only part-time. It's BEEN time for her to grow up. Niecy feels like she's trying, but also thinks that, no matter what she does, her life is never going anywhere. PJ tells her honestly that people will be there to help her, but they're not going to rescue her. He mentions that she needs to ask for more help from her babies' fathers. PJ will help cover daycare and preschool for the kids, and help her establish her credit. Niecy can also get her cosmetology license so she can do hair! This girl really doesn't realize how successful she could be by getting into the hair game, especially with her mother doing hair as well. Niecy has to WANT to be successful, and go after something wholeheartedly instead of depending on other people.

At the end of the episode, MJ texts Patrick stating that she loves him and will always be there for him. He's still angry, though, and ignores the text. The next morning, Cece is outside of MJ's door, and congratulates her on the return of talkBack. Cece again asks for contributions, since these are her ideas. It was even Cece's idea for Mary Jane to go after both shows. "A woman's gotta eat, after all," Cece explains. Of course this woman still wants to blackmail and get money of MJ! Her bookstore is struggling because, let's be honest, not too many people actually read too much these days at all, let alone physical copies of books (shout out to my fellow bookworms who still believe in actual books. Screw a tablet). Cece is an opportunist, and will continue to try to play Mary Jane, which is unfortunate, because I actually think they could be decent friends if she wasn't.Be sure to check out the SEASON FINALE of Being Mary Jane at 10 p.m. ET next Tuesday only on BET!Images via BET